AIRSHIPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 August 1924, Page 5

AIRSHIPS.

A NEW SERVICE. LONDON TO SYDNEY. PAVING THE WAY. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION ) AUCKLAND, Aug. 18. are no ] v bein g prepared to P a 7. e . the way for , the inauguration R itliin three years /of an airship service between London and Sydney, and possibly an extension to New Zealand, according to details supplied by Sir Keith Smith, who arrived by the Niagara from Vancouver to-dav, en route to Australia, to take up a proposition with the Government and ft interests. With Sir Keith Smith is Mr A. H. Ashbolt, who has just completed a five years’ term as AgentGeneral for lasmania, and who durin°ins sojourn in London was instru" mental m starting the movement for an airship service to Australia. Sir Keith Smith and Mr Ashbolt are both interested in this ambitious venture. a flails are so * ar advanced that Mr Ashbolt was in a position to discuss the schedule of fares and the prospective itinerary of the service. Ike tares have been, based on the present scale for voyages by P. and 0. steamers. On this basis first-class fares * ai rt hlp . S€l 7 ice will not, exceed ±-l_o for the single trip from London to Australia.

The airships will be veritable liners of the air. An idea of the size may he formed frorn the details of the accommodation. Provision will be made for 120 passengers and 12 tons of luggage and mail matter. Their cruising range on a non-stop run will be 2500 miles at an average speed of 70 miles an hour. Thus ships will be able to do the journey from London to Perth (West Australia) in 8£ davs, and from London to Sydney in 10 days. These periods allow for wayside stops at different stations along the route, thus enabling passengers to have a look at foreign scenes in a manner similar to that enjoyed under the nresent system of ocean navigation. At each station the airships will be replenished with fuel and other supplies.” . equipment and general furnishings of the aerial cruisers will be on a scale of comfort and attractiveness, t i-/E lberlor he-fitted with cabins ot different dimensions, one series giving accommodation for two passengers in each cabin and four nassengers in the larger cabins. There will he a smoke-room, dining-room, and a promenade or look-out platform right on top of the structure, allowing passengers an unparalleled view of the world below. A feature of the construction and equipment will he safeguards against £ l6 ' , Special provision will he made for the use of kerosene as fuel. This will eliminate the danger that was present in the two recent crashes of airships. The arrangements for the preliminary tests have been comoleted. Masts are being erected at stations at Cairo. Karachi, and Bombay. Two old airl ships, R 33 and R 36, will he anchored to the masts for two months to test the strain and the stress of air currents. There will bo other experiments regarding weight, and from the knowledge gained the perfected airships will he built, being finished pfobably in two and a half years’ time.